
■t^^ 






Purdue University , Agricultural Experiment Station 



ARTHUR GOSS. Director 



Newspaper Bulletin No. 170, February 10, 1911 



Results of Tests of Varieties of Oats, 1910 



The oats variety test conducted 
by the Purdue University Agricultural 
Experiment Station in 1910 followed 
along the same general plan as in 
former years. Some of the varieties 
that had been tested five years or 
longer were dropped and a number 
of new ones were added. The fol- 
lowing table shows, in the first col- 
umn, the yields produced in bushels 
per acre in 1910, and in the last col- 
umn the average yields for the last 
five years, except where otherwise 
indicated. The varieties are placed 
in alphabetical order regardless of 
their relative yields. 

The yields of all varieties have 
been corrected according to the yields 
of neighboring check plots to offset 
slight variations in soil fertility. The 
Swedish Select variety was used for 
all check plots, of which there were 
10, and the yield recorded for this 
variety is the average of all the 
checks. 

The field upon which the test was 
conducted was corn stubble land of 
medium texture and rather less than 
medium fertility. The ground was 
prepared for sowing by double disk- 
ing and harrowing. The seed was 
sown with an ordinary two horse 
wheat drill at the rate of two and 
one-half bushels per acre on March 
23 and 24, except Nos. 13 and 14, 
which were late coming to hand and 
were sown on April 1. 







Average 




Yields 


yields 


Varieties 


1910, 


1906-10, 




bushels 


bushels 




per acre 


per acre 


1 Black Egyptian 


37.6 


W.9 


2 Canadian Cluster 


27.1 


130.5 


3 Daubeney 


30.7 


=42.2 


i Emperor William 


49.6 


242.9 


6 Carton's No. 364 


27.6 


'25. 7 


6 Garten's No. 396 


31.3 


*33.7 


7 Carton's No. 436 


40.2 


^36. 9 


S Carton's No. 572 


47.8 


139.8 


y Carton's No. 691 


27.3 


"27. 6 


10 Colden Fleece 


41.9 


42.3 


11 Great Dakota 


42.2 


43.8 


12 Great Northern 


39.5 


•35.2 


13 Kirsche's Original 


36.7 




14 Mammoth White Side 


46.6 




15 National 


37.2 


37.9 


16 New Sensation 


39.8 


139.7 


17 Peerless 


36.8 


137.7 


IS President 


44.8 




19 Regenerated 






Swedish Select 


39.5 


239.2 


20 Roosevelt 


36.4 




21 Schance 


46.3 


144.8 


22 Senator 


17.3 




23 Silver Mine 


34.3 


41.9 


24 Sparrowbill 


33.7 


234.1 


25 Swedish Select 


39.7 


39.4 


26 University No. 6 


46.4 


'41.7 


27 University No. 26 


39.1 




2S Victor 


32.0 




29 Welcome 


41.2 


44.0 


30 White Bedford 


46.6 


242.9 


31 White Belyak 


36.9 


'36.4 


32 White Bonanza 


35.6 


134.8 


33 White Plume 


24.4 


234.9 


34 White Tartar King 


28.9 


130.4 


Average 


37.1 





lAverage last two years 
2Average last three years 
'Average last four years 



(over) 



Col 



eciea set. 






In time of maturity there was a 
I)eriod of nine days between the ear- 
liest and latest of the varieties, but 
85 per cent, of them ripened within 
four days of each other, from July 
15 to 18. No. 12 ripened on the 10th, 
No. 3 on the 12th, and may be classed 
as early. Nos. 9 and 24 were not ripe 
until the 19th. 

In the following table are shown 
the five year average yields of the 
10 leading varieties of oats out of 
about 76 tested by the Station during 
the last eight years. 





Yields 




Varieties 


in bushels 

per acre 

52.1 




1 Great Dakota 




2 Czar of Russia 


51.7 




3 Big Four 


51.4 




4 Silver Mine 


60.5 




5 Gold Mine 


50.3 




G Green Mountain 


49.9 




7 Lincoln 


49.9 




8 Black Tartarian 


49.7 




9 Black Diamond 


49.3 




10 Northern White Star 


49.3 





the cooperative tests conducted 
throughout the state is shown in the 
following table. 





Yields 




Varieties 


in bushels 
per acre 




1 'Great American 


39.4 




2 Silver Mine 


36.9 




3 Great Dakota 


36.7 




4 'Regenerated Swedish 






Select 


36.4 




5 Czar of Russia 


34.9 




6 Swedish Select 


34.5 




7 Early Champion 


27.0 





A summary of all the varieties 
tested during the last five years in 



'Tested only one year, 1910 

Cooperative experiments, including 
four or five of the leading varieties 
will be continued this year and any 
Indiana farmer who may be inter- 
ested in taking part, should apply to 
the undersigned for particulars. 

The Station has no seed oats of any 
kind for sale but can tell where good 
seed of several of the leading vari- 
eties may be obtained. Too much 
dependence should not be placed upon 
the yields of a single season and 
those desiring to select new varieties 
for general sowing should look to the 
five year average yields shown in the 
second and third tables. 
A. T. Wiancko, 

Chief in Soils and Crops 



To the Editor: — Please credit both Station and Author with this 
bulletin. Arthur Goss, Director 



Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station 



ARTHUR GOSS, Director 



Newspaper Sulletin No. 171, February 18, 1911 



ARE YOU TESTING .YOUR SEED CORN? 



It would be int-eresting to know how 
many farmers in Indiana are still 
neglecting to make germination tests 
of their seed corn and are going by 
guess as to its vitality. How many 
farmers who had a poor stand of corn 
last year blamed it on the weather or 
on the condition of the soil, when in 
reality they planted seed that was 
poor in vitality? To make a germina- 
tion test and make sure that only 
strong, vigorous seed is used is the 
only safe and sane thing to do. 

Every poor ear of corn that is 
shelled for the planter means a great 
loss in the crop to be harvested next 
fall. It doesn't take a very large ear 
per stalk to make a big corn harvest, 
if there is a full stand. One poor 
ear per acre in the corn planted means 
a loss of approximately eight per 
cent, in the crop and such a loss 
means a lot of money for each farm 
and many millions of dollars on the 
corn crop of the state. Judging from 
samples at corn shows there is much 
frozen corn and a lot that is more or 
less mouldy among that which is in- 
tended for seed in the State of Indi- 
ana this year. The mouldy kernels 
will not be hard to detect but many 
germs .that have been injured by frost 
will not be detected by the eye, and 
the only safe way to select is by mak- 
ing germination tests. The thing is 
easily done and there is plenty of 



time to do it. The whole process of 
testing each ear by itself need not 
cost more than five cents per acre in 
the way of labor involved. It's the 
most practical and profitable work 
the farmer can do. If you haven't 
been doing it, try it. 

The following instructions for mak- 
ing a tester and conducting the test 
can easily be followed by any handy 
man. 

Take ordinary inch lumber and 
make a shallow tray of convenient size, 
say about two feet by three feet, and 
two and one-half inches deep. Then 
bore small holes through the sides 
and ends about one and one-half 
inches above the bottom and about 
an inch and three-quarters apart. 
Through these holes string light gal- 
vanized or copper wire in both direc- 
tions'. Then fill up the tray to the 
wires with sand, earth or fine saw- 
dust. Sand is preferred because it is 
clean and easily kept in good condi- 
tion. Each square marked off on the 
surface by the cross wires is intended 
for the kernels from a single ear of 
corn. Instead of weaving in the cross 
wires as indicated, a piece of large 
meshed, wire chicken fence may be 
fastened in. If this is preferred, the 
tray should be made one and one-half 
inches deep, then the piece of chicken 
fence fastened on Lop and an inch 
strip nailed on top of that so as to 



Co/le 



crea ic/ 



o>. 



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^ 



raise the edges of the tray an inch 
above the wire netting, as in the other 
case. After the tray has been filled 
up to the wire with sand or other 
material as directed above and thor- 
oughly moistened, the tester is ready 
for use. If much corn is to be tested, 
several of these testers should be 
provided. They are easily made and 
with good care will last many years. 
For the average farmer one will be 
sufficient, as about three bushels of 
seed ears can be tested at one time. 

When making tests, some conven- 
ient system of arranging the ears on 
a floor, table, shelf or rack must be 
employed, so that the ear correspond- 
ing to a certain square in the tester 
may be readily located. Begin filling 
the tester by placing five kernels 
from the first ear, selected by taking 
one from each of five different parts 
of the ear, in the first square at the 
upper left hand corner and fill each 
row of squares in regular order. 

After the kernels have been placed, 
the material in the tester must be 
kept thoroughly moist. Some kind of 
covering must be used to keep the 
surface from drying and if this is 
properly done, the kernels need not 
be buried out of sight. Panes of 
glass or a glass window sash make 
the most satisfactory cover. This 
should rest loosely on the edges of 
the tester so as to admit some air. 
With such a cover, the soil need be 
moistened only once for each test. 



as the evaporated moisture will con- 
dense on the under surface of the 
glass and drop down again. Wiien 
moistening is necessary after the 
kernels have been placed, a towel or 
other cloth should be spread on the 
surface and the water poured gently 
on top. If this is not done, the water 
poured on will move many of the ker- 
nels out of place. The cloth is then 
removed. 

The tester should be placed in a 
room ranging around 70 degr.€es F. 
in temperature during the day and 
not falling below 50 at night. The 
ordinary living room is a good place 
for it but it should not be placed too 
near the stove. All kernels which 
do not send out vigorous root and 
stem sprouts within FIVE DAYS, un- 
der these conditions, should be con- 
sidered as too weak to germinate 
properly under ordinary field condi- 
tions. If the germination of any lot 
of kernels is unsatisfactory, the ear 
from which they came should be dis-, 
carded. About 9'5 per cent, of the 
kernels should germinate strongly 
within the five days. 

A handy person can easily make 
an individual ear test of five or six 
bushels in a day and the labor in- 
volved will be paid for many times 
over in the better stand of plants 
and the consequently larger crop se- 
cured. You cannot afford to neglect 
*t- A. T. Wiancko. 

Chief in Soils and Crops 



To the Editor: — Please credit both Station and Author with this 
bulletin. Arthur Goss, Director 



^i 



Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station 



ARTHUR GOSS, Director 



Newspaper Bulletin No. 172, March 3, 1911 



COOPERATIVE EXPERIMENTS WITH FIELD CROPS 



Farmers in Indiana desiring to test 
a few of the leading varieties of 
eitli,er corn, oats, soy beans or cow 
peas tliis season slaould apply at once 
to the Soils and Crops Department, 
Experiment Station, Lafayette, Ind., to 
have their names put on the list for 
a set of seeds. The Department's 
seed supplies are limited and only a 
few lots can he sent to each county. 
The seeds are furnished free of cost 
on condition that they be carefully 
tested side by side, and the results 
reported after harvest. 

Summaries of the results of last 
year's tests, together with the average 
results for the last five years are being 
published in bulletin form. 

During the last five years 3731 tests 
on nearly as many farms, and averag- 
ing over 40 to the county, w^ere con- 
ducted and the results are highly val- 
uable as a guide to the selection of 
varieties for differ^ent parts of the 
state. 

The following r^ecommendations as 
to the choice of varieties are based 
upon the results of the extensive tests 
above referr^d to. 

Corn — iFor northern and northeast- 
ern counties': — ^Early Yellow Dent, 
Wabash Yellow Dent, Dunn's Yellow 
Dent and Anson's Wnite Dent. 

For the north central counties: — 



Reid's Yellow Dent, Hudson's Learn- 
ing, Pulaski County Golden Dent, 
Riley's Favorite and Silver Mine. 

For central Indiana: — Reid's Yellow 
Dent, Learning and Boone County 
White. 

For south central and southern 
Indiana: — Johnson County White Dent, 
Vogler's White Dent, Pride of Indiana, 
Alexander's Gold Standard and John- 
son County Yellow. 

Oats — ^Great Dakota, Silver Mine, 
Swedish Select and probably Great 
American. 

Soy Beans— For northern Indiana: 
— Early Brown and Ito San. 

For central Indiana: — ^Holly brook. 
Early Brown and Ito San. 

For southern Indiana: — Holly brook 
and Medium Early Yellow. 

Coio Peas — iFor northern Indiana: — 
Early Blackeye, Whippoorwill, Mich- 
igan Favorite and New Era. 

For southern Indiana: — -If for seed 
production, the same varieties as for 
northern Indiana. If for forage pro- 
duction, the Iron and Clay will be 
found best. 

The Station has no se.eds of any 
kind for sale but can tell where good 
seed for each section of the state may 
be procured. 

A. T. Wiancko, 
Chief in Soils and orops 



To the Editor: — This bulletin will int-erest many farmers and should 
he published at once, if i>ossible. 

Arthur Goss, Director 
-■''ecfeaset. 



^ Ad 
Co ^^ 



-i ^A A.\ ' 



Purdue University. Agricultural Experiment Station 



ARTHUR GOSS. Director 



Newspaper Bulletin No. 173, March 10, 1911 



WHAT ABOUT OAT SMUT THIS YEAR? 



Formalin Seed-treatment Prevents It 



Were yiour oa'ts attaclsed by smut 
last jiear? Ai^e you usdng those oat,s 
for sieeid? If so, ithe forinalin s€«d- 
treiatment sihoulid be applied to such 
oats before sowing, even if only a 
ismiall lamo'unt oif simuit was ipnesent, 
in o>rder to prevent rtlbe disease in 
tbiis year's cirop. 

Oat smnt causes an enoirmous an- 
nual loss, tibe country oveir, and In- 
diana's sbiare is much too great. It 
sibjould, and can be pi-e vented. 

Cause and Nature of the Disease 

Oat simut iis a disease caused by a 
mioroi&ooipioal organisim, a fungus, 
^vthJ^oh entirely destroyis the heads oi 
th)e affected ^plants. Tfhis fungus lives 
and grows witlhdn the tissues of the 
affected oat plants, entirely invisible 
from without until the diseaseid plants 
begin to head out. Tihe smut fungus 
then enters the young "would be" 
kernels and destroys both them and 
the aocoimpanying chaff, and masses 
of woirtihlesis 'black, powdery material 
are produced insitead. These po'wdery 
masises consisit of innumeirable, mi- 
nute spoire® (ooirres'ponding to seeds) 
oif the smut fungus. These smut 
spores are blown about by the wind 
to sound kernels of the healthy oat 
plants near by, and remain on them 
ready to take advantagie of the situa- 
tiou wihen such oats are used for seed. 
When sudh oats are sown, the at- 
tadhed smut sipores geirmimate under 
the same oonditious' and at the same 
•time that *he oat kernels do, and ithe 
fungus, by its very minute, tube-like 
growth, penetrates into the tissues of 



tihe very young oat plant. Here the 
fungus thrives, drawing its nourish- 
ment from its hoisf, and grows up 
within the oat planit through the sea- 
son. When tihe latter heads out, the 
iheads are entirely destroyed. Tihe 
loeirnels and chaff are largely, if not 
entirely, changed to black, powdeiry 
masises, fihe sipores of the ifungusi. 
These spores ai'e thus ready to be 
blown about to sound oat kernels and 
carry the disease ito the next year's 
crop. 

The Remedy 

It is (Clear, 'then, that the point of 
attack dis in the seed. If the seed 
oats ean be so treated as to kill the 
simut-flungus spores clinging ito them 
and yet not injure the growing qual- 
ity of the oats themselves, 'then such 
a !treatment is successful land should 
be applied to seed oats wherever 
there iiS danger from smut. Both in 
specially conducted experime'nts and 
in ordinary farm practice, the foirma- 
lin seed treatment has been repeat- 
edly found to fulfill boitih of ilhese re- 
quiremeints admirably. It not only 
has ithe merit of being highly efficient, 
but it is safe, inexpensive, and easy 
of application. The ti-eatment iis as 
followis: 

Formalin Seed Treatment 

Afiter the seed oats are well cleaned 
with a fanning mill, spread them out 
on a clean floor or canvas, or in a 
tight wagou box. While shoveling 
them oveir siprinkle them, until thor- 
oughly moistened, with the folilo-wing 
solution, which may be mixed in a 



Sit 



^L Co 






1 



-^ 



barrel and applied with a sprinkling 
can: one pound (about one pint) of 
formalin (40 per cent, formaldehyde, 
procurable at drug stores) Lhoroughly 
mixed witih 50 gallons of waber. Con- 
itinoie to Sbovel the oats until all ker- 
nels are evenly moist, then cover the 
pile with clean grain bags or canvas 
and leave covered at least twx) hours. 
The formaldehyde gas thus confined, 
and evenly distributed througih the 
pdle, kills the smut spores, but does 
not injure the oats. After the two 
hours, uncover and spread out the 
oats to dry, stirring occasionally with 
a garden rake, or otiherwise. WHhen 
sufficiently dry, the oats are ready to 
sow. If tlhey are to be kept for some 
time before sowing, they sihould. of 
ooursie, be more thoroug'hly dried to 
prevent heating. Ordinarily it is 
mo'st convenient to treat the oats the 
afternoon or evening before they are 
to be sown. Then in the morning 
they are ready. 

Each gallon of the made up solution 



is enough for a little more than a 
busihel of oats, that is one pound of 
formalin mixed with 50 gallons of 
water is enough for 50 or 60 busihels. 
The price of formalin (40 per oenit 
formaldeihyde) varies from 25 to 40 
cents per pound. It sihould be prac- 
tiioally as clear as water. 

After treating the seed oats, avoid 
eontiamination with smut spoires from 
unitreiabed oats, as in bags, 'bins, etc. 
Clean bags and bins should be used, 
or 'they may be cleaned by wasihing 
with boilinig water or the formialin 
solution. 

Two oir three men can easdly breast 
»0 busihels' in le'ss tihan half an hour, 
that is, to the point of covering the 
pile. The treatment sihould be gener- 
ally practiced wliere there is any dan- 
ger from oat simut. Try it. 

Fo'r further particulars and illus'tra- 
tions, see Circular No. 22 of this 
Station. 

A. G. Johnson, 

Assistant Botanist 



To the Eddtor: — Please credit both Sitartdon ajad Author wiith this 
bulletin. Arthur Goss. Director 



XwoU ■ 



Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station 



ARTHUR GOSS, Director 



Newspaper Bulletin No. 174, March 17, 1911 

AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION 

XVI 



INDIANA EG 

The farms of Indiana produced over 
72,000,000 do2en eggs, valued at over 
$12,000,000, in 1910. A large proportion 
of these eggs were not first-class in qual- 
ity, many of them being small, dirty, 
washed, cracked, stale or rotten. The 
following figures, taken from Circular 
No. 140 of the U. S. Department of Ag- 
riculture, are given to show the per cent, 
of undesirable eggs that are sold upon 
the market in the middle western states. 

Preventable Loss in Marketable Eggs 

Dirties 2 per cent. 

Broken 2 per cent. 

Chick development.. 5 per cent. 
Shrunken or held.... 5 per cent. 

Eotteu 2J per cent. 

Mouldy i per cent. 

Total 17 percent. 

Observation of conditions in Indiana 
has not shown that the eggs of this stale 
are any better than any other state; in 
fact, some reports seem to indicate that 
the reverse is true. Assuming that the 
above figures are applicable to Indiana, 
it is fair to state that the annual loss to 
farniers selling good egg^ amounts to 
over $2,210,000. This amount might 
tlierefore be saved to the producer with- 
out extra cost to the consumer, if buyers 
would buy eggs on their merits. 

How Eggs Are Sold 

Eggs with few exceptions are sold at 
so much per do2en, regardless of quality. 
This method of selling is called "Case 



GS ARE BAD 

Count." When the large buyers quote 
a price to a huckster, grocer or farmer 
they take into consideration the fact that 
during certain seasons of the year, there 
will be a certain proportion of undesir- 
able eggs, that can bring them no profit 
and result only in a loss. 

To meet this loss, the buyer must quote 
a price, lower than he could pay, if he 
knew all tlie eggs would be good. There- 
fore, the farmer producing and selling 
only strictly first-class eggs, pays for the 
loss due to the bad ones. For example, 
at a certain season of the year, the eggs 
will run 15 per cent, rotten. To meet 
this loss the buyer mast quote a price 
15 per cent, lower than he could have 
givGJi if the eggs had all been first-class. 
Every farmer does not sell poor eggs. 
Many sell a fresh product and help to 
lessen the total percentage of the unde- 
siralde eggs. If every producer sold 
some bad eggs the price would be lower. 
Therefore, the man who sells the strictly 
fresh eggs pays for the loss on account 
of the bad ones. 

No Incentive to Sell Fresh Eggs 
With the present system of buying 
eggs there is no incentive to the producer 
to market first-class eggs, since the prire 
is no greater for them than it is for 
poorer ones. Many times the question 
is asked by the man who always markers 
iresh eggs, "Why is it that I receive no 
moie for my fresh eggs than some of my 
neighl'.ors, who are not as particular as 



"*■(. 



^ 4a 
^ /to 
Co Ccj 

to the quality of tlie eggs marketed?'' 
As a matter of fairness, he should not 
be compelled to take the same price as 
nis neighbor who sells bad eggs, in order 
that he may protect the buyer who will 
not buy on the basis of quality. Many 
buyers feel that they could afford to pay 
. an increase of two cents per dozen over 
the regular quotations; in fact, one 
buyer once offered as high as five cents 
over local city quotations. 

If a farmer kept 150 hens, which pro- 
duced an average of only 100 eggs per 
year, the increase of two cents per dozen 



To the Editor: 
bulletin. 



-Please credit 



would mean an added profit of $25.00 
per year. This increased profit is well 
worth the additional effort that Avould be 
necessary to obtain it. 

Purdue Experiment Station is col- 
lecting data upon this subject and en- 
deavoring through education to overcome 
this immense annual loss and to interest 
the farmers in demanding better prices 
for their good eggs, without increased 
cost to the consumer. 

A. G. Phillips, 
Associate in Poultry Husbandry 

both Station and Author with this 
Arthur Goss, Director 



Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station 



ARTHUR GOSS, Director 



Newspaper Bulletin No. 175, March 31, 1911 
AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION 
XVII 



HOW TO DETECT BAD EGGS 



Not long ago it was stated that the 
eggs in Indiana were not bought accord- 
ing to quality, but at a flat rate of so 
much per do? en. However, when those 
eggs are received by the buyer, he is 
compelled to go over them and select the 
best eggs for his best trade. 

Candling Eggs 

The method used for this selection of 
eggs is called ' ' Candling " or " Test- 
ing. ' ' The ' ' egg candle " or ' ■' tester ' ' 
is made of wood or metal and, as a rule, 
is kept in a dark room. ■ A light, inside 
the tester shines through an opening, in 
front of which an egg is held by the 
eandler. By a quick movement of the 
hand, the condition of the contents of 
the egg is quickly noted and the egg Is 
placed in its proper class. A good ean- 
dler works rapidly and will test a large 
number of eggs in a day. 

Grading Eggs 

Eggs are sometimes graded as fol- 
lows: 

Ext7-as. Weight 28 to 26 ounces, nat- 
urally and absolutely clean, fresh and 
sound, same color, (a grade seldom used) . 

Firsts. Weight 26 to 24 ounces, sound, 
fresh and reasonably clean. 

Sccovds. Shrunken, stale, washed, 
stained, and dirty. 

Checks. Cracked, not leaking. 

Bots. Incubator, blood rings, dead 
germs, and decomposed eggs. 

All eggs should be bought and sold on 
this grading system so that an egg will 
bring what it is worth. 



To the Editor: 
bulletin. 



-Please credit 



Description of Egg Contents 

When the eandler tests the eggs he 
bases his judgment on the following in- 
dications: 

Fresh. Opaque, appearing almost en- 
tirely free of any contents, sometimes 
dim outline of yolk visible, air cell very 
small. 

Stale. Outline of yolk plainly visible, 
sometimes muddy in appearance, air cell 
very large. 

Developed Germ. Dark spot visible, 
from which radiate light colored blood 
vessels. 

Dead Germ. Dark spot attached to 
shell, or red ring of blood, visible. 

Fatten. Muddy or very dark in ap- 
pearance, yolk and white mixed, air cell 
large and sometimes movable. 

CracTced. White lines showing irreg- 
ularly in shell. 

Testing as above suggested will aid 
one in determining absolutely, the quality 
of the eggs, not only for marketing, bat 
for incubation. The farmer should de- 
mand that his eggs be bought upon the 
test. The buyer should co-operate with 
farmers and meet such demands by Inly- 
ing "loss off." 

Recent changes in the Pure Food law 
make it unlawful to sell or offer for sale. 
eggs which are putrid, decomposed, rot- 
ten or unfit for food. The only way to 
obey this law is to sell eggs upon the 
grade. A. G. Philips, 

Associate in Poultry Husbandry 

both Station and Author with (his 
Arthur Goss, Director 



'3/*f9jJ 5£( 



Purdue University^ Agricultural Experiment Station 



ARTHUR GOSS, Director 



Newspaper Bulletin No. 176, April 14, 1911 
AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION 
XVIII 



HOW TO PRODUCE GOOD MARKET EGGS 



There is a growing sentiment among 
some farmers and egg buyers of Indi- 
ana for the production of better eggs 
for the market. The buysers demand 
better eggs than they have been re- 
ceiving and some farmers desire a 
better price for their good eggs. To 
produce these better eggs the farmer 
should have a thorough knowledge of 
conditions that may affect production. 
The egg is manufactured by th,e hen 
from the food that is consumed, hence 
her feeding should be carefully con- 
sidered. No ration should be made 
up wholly of grain, but it should con- 
tain with the grain, a mixture of bran, 
shorts and beef scraps or skim milk. 
The grain should be fed in a deep 
littei- to induce exercise. Green food 
of some kind, grit and oyster shell 
should always be handy for the fowis. 
The number of eggs ijroduced will de- 
pend largely upon the breed used, the 
ration fed, th.e congeniality of sur- 
roundings and the care given. If any 
of these things mentioned be omitted, 
the number of eggs produced will be 
decreas.ed. A male bird is not neces- 
sary for the production of eggs, hence 
should be removed from the flock at 
the end of each breeding season, in 



order to insure infertile eggs. Infer- 
tile eggs keep better and are very de- 
sirable upon the market. 

Select Hens That Lay Large Eggs 

Farmers should look w^ell to their 
flocks when considering the question 
of egg production, and select large 
hens of the breed which they keep, 
culling out and disposing of all un- 
dersized birds. By this m;eans they 
will be able to obtain eggs of desir- 
able size. 

What the Market Demands 
All people do nol agree on the defi- 
nition of a good egg and even some, 
do not realize the conditions that 
sometimes aftect its quality. In order 
to meet any demand for first-class 
eggs, the eggs should weigh one and 
one-half pounds to the dozjen, be uni- 
form in size, naturally clean, not 
washed, strong shelled and frrsh. 

A fresh egg' is one that was laid by 
a healithy hen, is only a few days old 
and has been kei^t in d^esirable sur- 
roundings. A fresh egg is not one 
that was allowed to stay in the nest 
for a day or two, until it became con- 
venient to gather it, or was taken 



APR 2-\ :C!1 



from a stolen nest, or an incubator, 
or from und,er a setting hen. 

Conditions That Affect Eggs 

Age causes an egg to become stale 
and shrunken and it can never be 
classed as a fresh egg. Heat seri- 
ously affects the quality of eggs and 
in warm weather they should be gath- 
ered daily and marketed as often as 
possible. Moisture causes molds to 
develop and quickly changes the qual- 
ity of the egg. Muddy weather 
means dirty nests, consequently dirty 
eggs. Nests built upon the walls of 
barns and h:en houses are often used 
as roosting places, causing filth to 
accumulate, resulting in dirty eggs. 
Dirty eggs must be handled as second 
grades; washed eggs are just as bad. 



Eggs .deteriorate in quality if they are 
left behind the kitchen stove or are 
stored in damp or musty Cjellars. 

When to Market Eggs 
It is not desirable to keep eggs any 
length of time before marketing, al- 
though it sometimes becomes neces- 
sary to do so. When it becomes nec- 
essary to keep eggs, a cool, dry cellar 
should be used and the eggs k.ept in 
some receptacle, such as an egg case, 
that will prevent them becoming 
broken or stained. Such eggs should 
be marketed as soon as is possible. 
Only eggs that are properly handled 
can be accepted by egg buyers as 
first-class stock. 

A. G. Philips, 
Associate in Poultry Husbandry 



To the Fklitor: — Please credit both Station and Author with this 
bulletin. Arthur Goss. Director 



LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 



003 072 295 4 ( 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



003 072 295 4 



